Oil-well apparatus



Patented July E?, 1926.

unirse srarss CLARENCE C. KEOWN,

OF ORANGE FELD, TEXAS, AND'GEORGE SCHANZ, OF VINTON,

LOUISIANA.

OIL-WELL APPARATUS.

Application filed September 1, 1925. Serial No. 53,889.

This invention relates to oil well apparatus and has particular reference to the con- `struction and arrangement of the screen, ha' l; pressure valve and wash pipe construction; y y An important object ot the invention is to 'provide a device ot this character in which all liability of leakage through the bottom .or back pressure valve prevented and positive seal provided for the lower end oi the screen after the back pressure valve has performed its function. y

A further object oft the invention is to provide a device of this character which may be inserted upon the end ot the usual wash pipe and is connected to the wash pipe byv an element so constructed that was..ing ot' the portions ot the screen lying above the back pressure valve is possible after a plug has been inserted.

further object of the invention is the provision oi3 means to plug` or seal the bottom end of a well screen with a rigid screwthreaded plug a'l-ter the screen has been placed in position in the well.

These and other obiects we attain by the Construction shown in the accompanying drawings1 wherein lor the purpose ot illusstration -'s shown a preferred embodiment ot our invention and wherein Figure 1 is avertical sectional view showing a well casing in positio-n and a plug likewise positioned, he parts being shown at the stage orp the operation where the coupler 28 starts to disconnect from the plug;

Figure 2 is a combined side elevation ot the coupler and plug.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, in which we have illustrated the lower end ot an oil well casing structure, the numeral indicates the usual perforated screen, 11 a coupling engaged with the lower end of the screen and l2 a stand pipe or shoe by means of which the screen is supported at the proper height within the well. To the upper end ot the screen, the usual casing 13 is connected. ln connecting the screen and stand pipe or shoe 12, it is usual to insert therebetween a bach pressure valve 1e opening toward the bottoni ot the well and in the present instance, I have illustrated a back pressure valve havingl a seat structure 15 exteriorly threaded7 as at 1G. tor engagement in the coupling 11. This Seat Streets@ .estudias an upwardly extending inlet 17, the upper end ot' which is liared, as at 18. The seat structure above described maybe substantially that shown in the prior patent of Jarrett L. Cameron, No. 1,2?6,02t%, granted August 20, 1918, 'for well cleaning devices. I rllhe interior of the extension l? adjacent its upper end is provided with right-hand threads 19 for coaction with similar threads 2O Jformed on the exterior ot a solid plug 21. This plug has interior lett-hand threads the purpose ot which will presently appear. T ie numeral 23 designates a coupling element adapted 'for engagement with the lower end of the usual wash pipe 24, this coupling having` at its lower end an ext-ension 25 which is threaded interiorly and erteriorly, as at 26 and 27, for a coupler 28 having at its lower end threads for coaction with the threads 22 ot the plug 21 and the shield or sleeve 29 extending downwardly in spaced relation to the coupler 2S. rlhe coupler 28 has 'formed therein a pluralityT o opening-s 30 through which wash illuid may pass to the space between t-hev coupler and the sleeve, this wash water finally passing out through the space 31 between the lower end ot the sleeve and the upper end or the plug 21. y

1n the use of the device, alter the shoe 12 has been seated and the screen is in the proper position.y the wash pipe, with the plug` 21 in position upon its lower end, is lowered until the threads 2O of the plug 21 are engaged with the threads 19 of the back pressure inlet 1'?. Before loweringthe plug; into the well, care is talren that the threaded connection at 22 is sulliciently tightly engia-ged so that it will permit engagement oithe threads 19, 20, before. the threaded con.- nection at 22 will break. Under these circumstances, it the wash pipe is given continuous right-hand rotation, the result will `e to first thread the plug into the inlet pipe 17 to seal the saine and then break the connection at 22, unscrewing the coupler to permit withdrawal thereof. ln event in lowering the device into the well, it is found, as is often the case, that the wash pipe and lower end o1e the screen are filled with sand, wash kwater is pumped `through the wash pipe and because of the sleeve 31, will be directed downwardly so that it will wash out the upper end of the inlet pipe 17, permittins the plus' te be places in position.

After the plug is in position, the wash pipe may be withdrawn. It will he obvious that a device ot this character mayv be relatively cheaply produced and is readily applied to or removed from position.

Since the structure thereoic is' capable ot a certain range or" change ant niorli ieation without vmaterially departing from the spirit of our invention, we do not limit ourselves to such specific structure except as hereinafter claimed.

lVe claim l. ln combination with oil well apparatus including' a screen, a back pressure valve at the lower end yotthe screen having a threaded inlet, a wash pipe and means for supporting' upon the. lowerend` or" the wash pipev a plug' having,` threads torengagement with 'the threadso'f the inlet of the'haclr pressure valve, said plug' connectinghwith the threads ot' tle inlet and disconnectingfrom the wash pipe' upon a predetermined operation of theA wash pipe.

2. In combination with oil well apparatus including' a screen, a bacl; pressure valve at the lower end of the screen having' an inlet facing' into the screen, awash pipe, a, plug 'lor sealing the inlet ofthe hack pressure valve and means for supportingl the plug' from the wash pipe from which the plug' is disconnected by continuationv et the operation Ot seating the plug in the inlet.

ln combination with oil well apparatus ineludinga screen, a back pressure valve at the lower end oi the screen having a 'threaded inlet, a wash pipe, means for supporting upon-the lower end oit' the wash pipe a plug' having' threads for engagement with the threads ol" the inlet o 'f the hack pressure valve,saidplugv connecting with the 'threads or the inlet and 'disconnecting from said means' upon a predetermined operation or the Wash pipe, said means for supporting the plug` including a perforated coupler having' threaded engagement with the plug at its lower end, a coupling' with which the upperfend-of' the coupler engages' anda sleeve surrounding' the coupler in spaced relation thereto.

t. In combination with oil well apparatus including' a screen, a back pressure valve at the lower end of the screen having' a threaded inlet, a wash pipe, means for supporting upon the lower end or" the wash pipe a plug having' threads for engagement with the threads loil-the inlet of the hack pressure valve, said plug' connecting` with the threads of the inlet and disconnecting' from said means upon a predetern'iined operation et the wash pipe, said means 'for supporting the plug` including,- a perforated coupl r having threaded engagement with the plug' at itsv lower end, a coiqiling` with which the upper end of the coupler engames and a sleeve surrounding the coupler in spaced relation thereto, the threads ot said plugengaging' with the threads of the inlet being opposed to the threads connecting' the con-- pler iith the plug.

5. ln combination with oil well apparatus including` a screen, a

hack pressure valve at the lower end of the screen havinga threaded inlet, a wash pipe and means for supporting upon the lower end of the wash pipe a, plug' having' threads for engagement with the threads or the inlet of the hack pressure valve, said plug connecting' with the threads of the inlet and disconnecting' :trom said means by continuous rotation of the wash pipein one direction.

ln testimony whereof we hereunto atti):

our signatures.'

CLARENCE C. KEGVN.

G'ER 1E SCHANZ, 

